The Valley of Tomorrow
by Vivien Barrie
Summary: A one-shot based on episode four "The Plague Dogs." Instead of both Miles & Jason rescuing Charlie, what if Jason has been the one to find her. How Charlie deals with almost being killed, and how Jason helps her through it.


**Disclaimer: **I sadly do not own Revolution, NBC does. If I did though, JD Pardo would be on screen _all_ the time.

This is a one-shot based on episode four "The Plague Dogs." Instead of _both_ Miles & Jason rescuing Charlie, what if Jason has been the one to find her.

Title is inspired by the song _Valley of Tomorrow_ by the band Needtobreathe.

* * *

The Valley of Tomorrow

Watching as Charlie was so viciously snatched out of his sight, Jason struggled against his restraints in hopes of breaking free. He could still hear her muffled cries as her attacker dragged her further away into unknown territory. "Charlie!" he screamed over and over, hoping that she would respond.

Though he barely knew the young girl, Jason couldn't deny that he had been quite drawn to her in the short span of time they'd traveled together. He continued to pull at his cuffs, trying to loosen them as best he could so he could go after her. As long as he was around, he wouldn't allow any harm to come to Charlie. _I won't let that happen,_ he thought fiercely.

Jason continued to work at the restraints as Miles and Nora returned, questioning the whereabouts of Charlie. He knew they'd be going after Charlie, and he'd be damned if they left him behind. "Miles," he shouted at Charlie's uncle. If he had any chance of losing the cuffs and tagging along, he needed to get the older man's attention immediately. "Heavily armed, multiple knives, hauled her through the kitchen. Last look she was still alive." He prayed that the last part was still true.

Miles quickly advanced towards Jason, eyes fuming with anger and rage. For a second Jason believed that Miles was going to slit his throat, as the man extracted his sword. Instead of his throat, Miles simply cut away his cuffs. "You're comin with me," he stated assertively, leaving no room to argue.

Jason jumped to his feet, quickly rubbing his swore wrists. He heard the group exchange a few more words, but was hardly paying attention to what they were saying. Turning to the area where Charlie had been taken, Jason motioned to Miles that this was the direction they needed to go. Running towards the entrance, Jason almost missed the earnest promise Miles whispered to the injured blonde woman, "I'll bring her back, Meg."

_We'll bring her back,_ the young soldier corrected to himself. Even if Charlie wasn't his biggest fan at the moment, there was no way in hell he was letting her die.

* * *

Charlie frantically tried to free herself of the binds that kept her tied to the chair, but the ropes moved to no avail. Not only was she scared for herself, but for the safety of the rest of her group, especially Maggie. _Please don't die Maggie. Please, please._ She pleaded to herself. Her relationship with Maggie had never been the greatest, but she couldn't stand the thought of losing the only mother figure she had in her life.

"Don't bother with the ropes. You'll never get out of 'em." For the first time since her abduction, Charlie laid her eyes on her abductor and cringed. He was an older man, probably not too much older than Miles, but the hard cruel look on his face made her realize how dangerous he truly was.

"Please," she begged, "just please let me go. We didn't mean to trespass, I swear. Please, I'm begging you." She continued to try and reason with him, but she already knew deep down that he wasn't going to budge. To Charlie's surprise, her abductor began talking about his daughter and how she had died, because he didn't have any medicine to save her. His hard demeanor changed though when he asked Charlie to stay with him and continue surviving together. Charlie couldn't believe the vulnerable side of this man she was seeing, the same man who had taken her hostage and chained her up. It was obvious he was lonely and seeking companionship, but Charlie had no intention of filling in for his deceased daughter.

"I can't stay with you," she prayed he would understand. "I have my own family I have to save. Please, surely you can understand why I can't."

His soft expression turned hard once again, set to remain that way. "Fine," he grunted. "You don't want to stay, well then let's have your friends come and find you." When he stepped away from where he was standing, what Charlie saw made her heart stop completely. Parked only a few feet away was a large crossbow booby trap that was set to go off the second someone walked through the door, and it was aiming straight at her.

"You had your chance to do things my way," the smirk that crossed his face made Charlie beyond sick, "now we'll do it your way." She began fighting against the ropes again, fear coursing through her entire body. She knew Miles would come looking for her and when he did he would come charging in, and she wouldn't stand a chance of surviving.

Realizing that she was making no progress with the binds, Charlie decided to put all her strength into using her voice. "Help!" she cried, hoping someone could hear her, "Miles! It's a trap! Don't come through-" she was silenced by the man duct tapping her mouth, leaving no one to hear her cries of warning. _No! Please, no!_

"Just remember, you did this to yourself." Her abductor traced his dirty fingers over Charlie's cheek, his touch rough and cold. Charlie jerked her head away from his grasp, disgusted that he touched her so intimately. With one last smirk, her abductor stalked out the room through a back door leaving Charlie with no escape from her fate.

* * *

"Look," Miles grabbed Jason by the bicep and forced the young man to look him straight in the eyes, "I don't like you, and I sure as hell don't trust you. So let me make this perfectly clear. You abandon us and leave Charlie for dead, I will hunt you down and kill you. And it won't be quick and painless. You got it, pretty boy?"

If Jason was a normal law-abiding citizen, then Miles' speech would have had him peeing in his pants by now. But due to his training from the militia, Jason was well prepared to handle threats like this. However Jason _was_ scared; scared that this pep talk was wasting time and could cost Charlie her life. Instead of retaliating, Jason chose to respond with a simple, "Yes sir."

"Good." Still eyeing Jason skeptically Miles handed him a good size blade, "Let's split up. Go down that corridor, I'll take this one." Jason turned toward the direction Miles had pointed to and took off in a sprint. He didn't get far before Miles shouted at him, "And don't stop searching until you find her."

"And if I can't find her?" Jason asked.

"Then don't come back." Miles never looked back to answer Jason, just took off disappearing into the dark hall. Following his lead, Jason raced down the deserted hallway while kicking down every door he passed by.

"Come on, Charlie. Where are you?" he muttered to no one. Passing by a flight of stairs, he decided to investigate and see where it led to. Taking the stairs two at a time, he was almost to the bottom when a fist came out of nowhere and connected with his jaw. Thrown off by the surprise attack, Jason rebounded off the wall and was shoved off the remaining set of stairs, landing on the concrete floor. His attacker was relentless to give up and advanced on Jason with a knife in hand, but Jason quickly regained his composure and was prepared for the attack. He managed to dodge the oncoming knife and punched his assailant straight in the nose.

With his attacker temporarily distracted, Jason sent a few more punches to the man's stomach before reaching for his blade. Throwing the disgruntled man against the wall, Jason brought his blade up directly against his neck, revenge burning through his eyes. "Where is she?!" Jason screamed, getting straight to the point. "What have you done with her?!"

The man coughed a few times trying to get air back in his lungs, but they quickly turned into heartless laughs. Suffering from a broken nose that was dripping blood, the man lips began to turn up forming an evil bloody smile. "Nothing," he spat, "I've done nothing to her. Good luck finding her though; she's just _dying_ to see you."

His wicked smile made Jason even angrier than before; without hesitation Jason raised his blade in the air and finished off the sinister man. As Jason watched the body fall to the floor, something shiny caught his attention. Wrapped around the man's neck was a small silver key; Jason yanked it off the dead man's body hoping the key would lead to Charlie.

Determined more than ever to find her, Jason raced down the passageway trying the key out as he went. He had a gut feeling that Charlie was down here in one of these rooms, probably closer then he thought. But with each empty door he opened, panic and fear began to take over. "Charlie? Charlie!" He could hear the desperation seeping into his voice, "Charlie! Where are you?"

At the end of the hall were several more doors, but one in particular stood out among the rest. Coming from underneath the door was a small glow, like fire burning off a candle. Heading straight for that small bit of light, Jason tried his best not to drop the key from his shaking hands. _Please be alive, Charlie. Please._

* * *

Still fighting as best she could, exhaustion was starting to get the best of Charlie. Her wrists were numb from all the tugging and pulling, and her throat was sore from all her muted screaming. But she knew if she didn't stop trying to get free, she was as good as dead the moment the door flew open. Charlie frantically began to think; if she couldn't break through her binds, maybe she could move the chair out of the crossbows aim. She soon realized that her kidnapper was smarter than he looked, for he had taken the liberty of bolting the chair to the floor. Not giving up she began to rock back and forth, hoping to pry the bolts out of their hold.

"Charlie? Charlie!" she stopped for a second to listen. "Charlie! Where are you?"

_Nate_? She couldn't believe that the militia spy had found her, and a small part of her was happy it was him. Her moment of happiness was short lived when her eyes darted back to the crossbow. Her rocking became frantic and wild, trying desperately to move the chair. Her eyes became wide with terror as she heard Nate shake the door handle, trying to reach her. _NO! It's a trap! Nate! Stop!_ the tape trapping her voice, with no way of warning him.

Using all her strength and energy, Charlie flung against the side of the chair in one final attempt to save herself. She felt the bolts spring to life from the floor, and the chair tilt ever so slightly just in time to miss the deadly strike of the crossbows arrow. Turning to her left, she looked at the arrow that was meant for her; relief began to course through her body while the tears she'd been holding back spilled onto her cheeks.

"Charlie?" she turned her gaze to Nate, who was standing in the doorway. His expression became confused as he looked at the arrow next to her head, until he noticed the crossbow and string attached to the door. _Oh my God…_ Anger and guilt surged through him, realizing that _he_ had almost killed her. If her kidnapper wasn't already dead, he surely would have killed him over this. Quickly scanning the room for more traps, he determined it was safe and immediately rushed to her side. Falling to his knees, so they were face to face, Jason looked into Charlie's tearful eyes as he ever so gently removed the tape from her mouth.

"Are you alright?" Clearly she wasn't alright, but he felt the need to ask her anyway. Springing to his feet, he stepped behind her chair and did away with the restraints holding her in place. Returning to his former position, he took a moment to really look at her and inspect any damage. Minus a few cuts and bruises, she didn't appear to be physically injured; her mental state was a whole other story. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"N-Nate…I…I can't…" she stuttered. Charlie was overwhelmed and exhausted, which wasn't helping her form a coherent sentence. Her trembling has ceased to stop since barely escaping the crossbow, and her tears continued to fall one after the other. It was all too much for her to handle, and she felt herself finally cave to all the emotions she was feeling, turning her into a sobbing mess.

Jason's heart began to ache, as he watched the girl he cared for break down into tears. Wanting nothing more than to take away her pain, he leaned forward and brought her into his arms. Charlie, who was stronger than most girls he knew and a fighter at heart, willingly collapsed against his chest and brought her arms around his neck. Her hold on him was tight and desperate, clutching the back of his shirt and unwilling to let go. Continuing to cry into the soft corner of this shoulder, Jason kept one hand clutched to the back of her head while the other rubbed her back soothingly. _Oh, Charlie… _He felt every sob, every shudder, and every gasp that wracked through her body, wishing he could absorb it all.

Charlie finally began to calm after several more moments, never leaving Jason's embrace. A few more tears leaked out, gracefully staining her cheek; but she slowly lifted her head away from Jason's shoulder and up towards his face, really looking at him for the first time. She simply stared at him; her teary blue eyes meeting his warm brown ones, taking in deep breaths in hopes of regaining her composure.

"You saved me," she whispered. He removed his hand from her back, and brought it up to her face, wiping away the remaining tears. Unlike her abductor, his touch was kind and affectionate; she found herself leaning further into his palm, finding comfort in the simple act. Still, she didn't understand why he kept saving her. "Why would you do that?"

Jason's palm stilled on her cheek, hurt etched in his eyes that she would doubt his actions. Yes, he'd lied to her in the past, but hadn't he proven that all he wanted to do was protect her. "I couldn't let you die, Charlie." He said seriously, meaning every word.

"But you're militia," she stated. She wanted to believe that he was good deep down, but he'd already lied to her about who he was and what his true intentions were; using her to find Miles.

"That's true, but that doesn't make me heartless." She continued to stare at him disbelievingly, unsure of what to do. She had yet to release him from her hold and hadn't pushed away from his touch, which he took as a good sign. He wanted to assure her that his intentions were good and honest, that he had no ulterior motives when it came to her. "You were in danger, Charlie. I would have done _anything_ to save you. Your life is more important to me than tracking your uncle." _Please believe me…_

"But Nate, you told me-"

"Jason," he quickly said, interrupting her question. He couldn't bear to hear her call him by his alias any longer, deciding it was time to reveal the truth to her.

But Charlie only looked at him confused, "I'm sorry, what?"

"When you chained me to that pole, I told you my real name wasn't Nate." Charlie remembering that moment nodded her head, indicating he should continue. "It's Jason. My name is Jason. I should have told you when we first met." He knew that if he wanted to regain her trust, this was his moment to do so. Damn his orders and damn the consequences; if she wanted information he would tell her everything he knew. "I know it's hard for you to trust me right now Charlie, but I'm begging you to believe me. I lied to you and used you to find your uncle, but please understand that my mission doesn't reflect the kind of person I truly am. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you; watching you be torn away from me like that killed me inside."

Charlie shuddered at his words, wanting so badly to believe him. She could see how nervous he was, waiting anxiously to hear her response; but it was the longing look he carried in his eyes that confirmed what he said to be true. Still, the question passed through her lips before she could stop herself, "Do you really mean that?"

"Yes, every word. I care for you, Charlie…" She felt her breath catch in her throat; hearing out loud what she only imagined to be true, both relieved and frightened her. It scared her so much, merely because she knew she felt the same way, even if they'd only known each for such a short time. Even though she was happy to know that he had feelings for her, she herself wasn't sure if she was ready to reveal her own.

Continuing her heavy stare, Charlie gave him a small simple smile showing him that she accepted his words. Still a bit shaken from everything she rested her head against Jason's shoulder and closed her eyes, content to remain being held. In the darkness of the room where her life had almost ended, Charlie was beyond grateful that Jason had come for her and found comfort that only his embrace could bring.

Thankful that he was getting to spend some time alone with her, even under the circumstances, he remembered the rest of the group was still worried about her. "We should head back, everyone is anxious to see if you're alright." Her head turned back to his, but her eyes were wide again with fear. Before she could even ask Jason was able to figure out the reason behind her fear; Maggie. "She was still alive when I left to find you."

Gently disentangling himself from Charlie's arms, he stood up and offered her both his hands. Her own shaky ones gripped onto his, and she was ever so smoothly lifted from the ground and on to her feet. Her knees were still shaking quite a bit making it hard for her to keep her balance, but Jason took one of his hands and settled it on the small of her back, keeping her in place. "I got you," he assured her, letting her adjust to standing, while she held on to his bicep for support. "Are you okay to walk?"

"Yeah, I think so," she stepped back a few steps to test her legs, never letting go of Jason. Taking a couple deep breaths, she nodded that she was good to go. Letting her step in front of him, Jason kept his hand rested on her back as he guided her out the door, not wanting to let go of her.

Directing her down the hallway, Jason had completely forgotten about the dead body that was spread across the floor. The moment Charlie laid her eyes on the man she stopped in her tracks, her whole body going rigid. Before she began freaking out, Jason placed both his hands on her face, drawing her attention away from the dead man. "Hey, it's okay. He's not going to hurt you ever again," he promised.

Looking towards the ground again, she noticed the blood that pooled around the man. "You did that?" she questioned.

"Yeah," he wasn't proud that he'd killed, but it had been essential to rescuing Charlie. Even as militia, having to kill people had never sat well with him, but sometimes there just weren't any other options.

"Good. He was bad, and clever… dangerous combo," Glad she wasn't mad him for his actions, he attempted to head for the stairs, but Charlie wasn't so quick to follow. Still looking at the man, all she could see when she looked at his face was the crossbow aiming straight at her. Even though he was dead, Charlie couldn't bring herself move. "I-I don't think I c-can…" trailing off, Charlie couldn't believe how weak she felt.

Jason stepped towards her, closing the distance between them, stepping into her personal space. Wanting to make this easier for her, Jason lifted his arms out, "I can help with that," placing his hand on her back once again. "May I?" leaving the decision completely up to her.

Not sure what he was hinting at, she simply nodded her head, waiting to see what he would do. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he lowered his free arm to the back of her knees, sweeping her off her feet and into his arms. Surprised by his actions Charlie threw her arms around his neck, pulling her closer to his sturdy chest. Before she could protest, Jason began walking towards the stairs, not once glancing at the body as he stepped over it.

Walking up the steps, Jason was thrilled that Charlie was allowing him to carry her. _Maybe this means she's starting to trust me_, he hoped to himself. He couldn't deny that holding Charlie like this was something he could really get use to.

"You don't have to carry me all the way," she whispered, bringing him back from the depths of his thoughts.

"I don't mind," smiling at her, "I want to."

"Okay," she was too tired to argue, and if she was being honest with herself she liked that he was taking care of her. Making their way to the top, Charlie contemplated to herself what was going to happen next. Would Miles spare Jason now that he'd rescued her? Knowing that he cared about her now, Charlie wouldn't let anyone touch him, not even her uncle. There was still the fact he was militia though, and if he was still determined to take in Miles to Monroe. Her head was spinning with all the different possible scenarios, wanting to believe that the ending outcome would be a good one.

She knew for sure though that she wanted Jason to stay with her, to figure things out and possibly be on the same side. _Possibly be more than just allies_… She only hoped that he would want the same things. Reaching the top, Jason placed her back on her feet, giving her a little bit of space. In that moment Charlie wanted to thank him, truly thank him for everything he'd done for her, but words just didn't seem to be enough to express her gratitude.

"We should go this way, it'll be-" he started, surprised when he heard Charlie's voice softly interrupt.

"Jason," she breathed. Hearing her say his name, his _real_ name, for the first time made him happier than he thought he could imagine.

"Yeah?" he replied, patiently waiting for her to gather her thoughts and form them into words.

She looked hesitant about what she going to say, but determination was set in her now clear eyes. Gathering up her courage, _she_ stepped forward this time removing any space left between them. "If I wanted to thank you properly, would you let me?"

"You don't have to thank me, Charlie." His smile was kind, giving her the strength to continue.

"I want to," she confessed, repeating his earlier words. Ever so slowly, she raised her hand to his chest, resting it over his heart. The steady beat began to quicken against her touch, secretly enjoying that she affected him so. Bringing her other hand around his neck, she began to lean forward rising to the tips of her toes; she only hoped that she was doing this right.

Jason's hands immediately went to her waist, but instead of bringing her closer, he halted her movements. Looking at her straight in the eyes, Jason didn't want her to feel obligated to repay him, especially not like this. He _wanted_ to kiss Charlie more than anything, but not because she felt the need to settle any debt she thought she owed him. "Charlie, you _really_ don't have to. You don't owe-"

"Please," her breath caressed his mouth. Her lips were so close to his, he could almost feel it, imagined how soft hers would be against his. It was almost too much for him to bear, being so close and yet having to turn away. She nudged his nose with hers, and brought the hand pressed against his chest up to cradle his cheek. Watching her tongue slowly sneak out and wets her lips, caused him to groan in frustration and torment. With every touch and caress, his willpower was beginning to crumble. "I owe you _my_ life, Jason. But even if that wasn't true…I would _still_ want to do this."

Not waiting any longer, she pulled the back of his neck towards her and sweetly kissed him for the first time. Having absolutely no experience, Charlie was terribly worried she was doing it all wrong. But all of her doubts were quickly silenced when Jason wrapped his arms securely around her back, pulling them closer together than she thought was possible. Her hand gracefully slipped from the base of his neck to the back of his head, where her fingers started to play with his thick hair. Slanting his mouth against hers with a gentle force, her lips parted for him, deepening the kiss. Charlie felt herself melting against Jason, as his hands roamed all over her back and through her golden hair. _Oh my…_The sensation of him kissing her was one the greatest things she'd ever felt, wanting it to never stop.

The moment Charlie's lips connected with his, Jason's self-control and preservation faded away in a heartbeat. Kissing Charlie was better than any dream he could have ever imagined; both innocent and sensual, Jason couldn't get enough. Lacing his fingers through her long hair, the tip of her tongue teased at his lips, causing him to moan from the delightful feeling. He wanted to do this with her all the time, every day, every hour, and every minute. This couldn't be a one-time thing for them, it wouldn't be enough. And by the way she was kissing him back, it seemed like she felt the same way.

The urge to breathe finally took over, both pulling back to allow air to flow through their burning lungs. Charlie rested her forehead against his, keeping her hands where they were and she opened her eyes. Jason's heated stare already had her wanting to reattach her lips to his, but she suddenly felt the need to tell him her feelings, her true intense feelings. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me, for coming after me. You'll never know how much that means to me that you would do that." Her breathing was still ragged from their wonderful kiss, but she wasn't nearly finished with what she had to say. "I care for you too, Jason. And it scares the hell out of me. I barely know you, and we've treated each other terribly. I mean, you lied to me and I tied you to a poll and left you! I'm trying to save my brother and you work for the very man who took him. But none of that has changed how I feel. How are we supposed to make this work?"

Jason couldn't help but smile at her, hearing her admit her feelings for him only made the moment more surreal. Unable to help himself, he leaned in and tenderly kissed her for the second time. Pouring all of his emotions into that one kiss, he made up his mind then and there that he wouldn't leave her side, _couldn't_ leave her side, and that Monroe's mission no longer had a place for him. He was done with the Monroe Republic and through with the militia.

Reluctantly ending the kiss, Jason placed his lips over Charlie's temple while enfolding her into his arms. Resting his chin against the top of her head, he spoke to her calmly and honestly, "I can't leave you, now that I know how you feel. You're right, our relationship so far has been rocky but we can change that. What we have between us is worth fighting for. I can't walk away knowing there's a chance for us."

"But what about the militia, and your mission? The Republic?" she had a hundred questions for him, but felt those were the most important.

"I've never fit in with the militia; most of the soldiers don't possess a moral compass, and I've never been able to fully live my life that way. I've lived in the Republic almost my entire life; the government is corrupt and the laws are unjust. Say _or_ do the wrong thing, and you're as good as dead. It's no way to live a life." He'd always thought this about his home, but he'd never considered or dreamed there were other options. "I won't turn your uncle in; I can see why he ran from it in the first place. Whatever orders I was following before, I _refuse_ to follow them now."

Charlie lifted her head away from his chest, wanting to see his face. "And this is what you _really_ want? You won't regret walking away?" She had to be sure.

"The only regret I have is not being strong enough to walk away sooner," the hopeful look she was giving was proof enough that she believed him. He would never regret choosing her over his old life. "The only good that I ever got out of the militia, was that it brought me to you. I could never regret that."

For the first time in a long time, Charlie allowed herself to fully smile. She reached down and intertwined her hand with Jason's, giving it a subtle squeeze. "Well you did save me twice before, so I guess you did come in handy." she teased.

"Oh, _now_ you appreciate my help." Teasing her right back.

"I think our kiss a few moments ago proves how much I appreciate you," Charlie had never been so affectionate with anyone before, but loved how natural it felt with him. "I'm glad you're here Jason," she sincerely admitted.

"As am I…I'm glad you'll have me." Squeezing her hand gently, he released it so he could wrap his arm around her waist, tucking her into his side. Heading back in the direction to where the group was, Jason remembered something else he wanted to tell Charlie. Looking at her as they walked, he told her his thoughts. "I'm going to help you get your brother back. I promise you, Charlie."

Thinking she'd cried herself empty, Charlie was surprised to feel tears forming in her eyes. Jason's words were more than just a vow, they meant everything. Reuniting her family and starting over with both Danny and Jason at her side was all she wanted. Nuzzling her cheek into the side of his chest, all she could do was whisper "Thank you," for the tenth time that day, allowing the few tears to spill.

Whatever happened now, she had the support of her family, friends _and_ now Jason to carry her along. Together they would face the militia, Monroe and anyone else who tried to get in their way. It wasn't perfect, but as long as they were together the dark world they lived in felt a little bit brighter, and that was all the comfort Charlie needed.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So if you're reading this, you've just completed my very first story ever! Thank you for persevering through that, I'm still getting use to this whole writing thing. I've actually been apart of the fanfiction community for a long time now, but never had the courage to write anything. That's until this _little_ show called Revolution aired, and well, let's just say I became very inspired. I'm a huge fan of show, and even bigger fan of Jason and Charlie. They're relationship is always keeping me on my toes!

Anyways...if you have any feedback for me, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a private message. I'm actually want to know your opinions, whether its good or bad! So don't be shy! Thanks again!


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